Heat in negotiations with Luol Deng

The Miami Heat spent much of Saturday negotiating with free-agent swingman Luol Deng, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that Miami is the closest thing to a front-runner in the chase for Deng in the wake of LeBron James' blockbuster announcement that he's returning to his home-state Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Heat, sources say, want to do a two-year deal with Deng in the $20 million range to team him with the freshly re-signed Chris Bosh and soon-to-be-reupped Dwyane Wade.

Sources say it's possible Wade's looming deal with the Heat might not be finalized until next week while negotiations with Deng continue. But Miami's current aim is assembling a core that features Wade and Bosh with newcomer Josh McRoberts and Deng if they can complete a deal with the former Chicago Bulls All-Star.

Dallas and Atlanta remain interested in Deng, as well. In addition, sources said Saturday that Phoenix has also jumped into the mix for Deng, who was traded from Chicago to Cleveland in January after years of trade rumors.